Orange, Pineapple, Mint & Basil Summer Sorbet

I can’t think of a better thing to enjoy this time of year than sorbet.

It’s sweet, refreshing, and comes in the prettiest of colors. Sorbet always reminds me of the summers I used to spend at the shore with my family. Ice cream trucks would periodically pass by each beach access, and as soon as we heard those bells ring, we’d race to the top of the dunes and pick out a treat. I would never steer away from sorbet…it’s just too good.

To relish in the past, I whipped up a batch the other night. I combined a few of my favorite flavors, and found out that you really don’t need an ice cream maker to make this stuff. Here’s an easy recipe for orange, pineapple, mint & basil sorbet that you can all enjoy this summer–with our without the normal machinery!

What You Need

Oranges

1 cup Orange Juice

1 cup Pineapple Juice

1/2 cup Sugar

1/2 cup Water

Fresh Basil

Fresh Mint

Combine the water, sugar, and a handful of fresh mint and basil into a medium sized saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved, then turn down the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and allow the syrup to cool. In a separate bowl, pour in a cup of orange juice and a cup of pineapple juice. Once the simple syrup is cool, pour it through a strainer and mix it in with the orange juice and pineapple juice.

If you have an ice cream maker, add in the mixture and follow the directions as provided by the manufacturer. If not, all you need is a square cake pan, about 2 inches deep. Pour the mixture into the pan, and stick it the freezer. Every 30 minutes, give the mixture a good stir until it’s too frozen to do so.

My favorite way to serve this sorbet is to serve it in actual orange cups. Take an orange, and cut off 1/3 of it from the top. Use a knife to cut away the inside of the orange from the peel. You can use a spoon to scoop out the excess.

When you are ready to serve the sorbet, remove it from the freezer and allow it to thaw for about 5 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, begin to scoop some off the top.

I love the flavors you’ve incorporated into this. Last summer, I made a pineapple & basil granita, and I was completely blown away by the flavor combo. I’m now slightly obsessed. Might have to try your variation next time I give it a go!

I can’t wait to try this recipe..I just love the fact that you can use the orange to serve the sorbet in..that’s brilliant! And beautiful! And you can make them ahead of time and freeze them that way to serve later and they’ll stay beautiful! And.. your when you make this.. be sure to make yourself some delicious fruit infused water to enjoy at the same time!! This is a great combo!! :-) Smiles!